Q & A: Rachel Fenlon on Her Debut Album ‘Winterreise’ & Accompanying Herself

(Credit: © Clara Evens) On Oct. 11, Rachel Fenlon made history with her debut album on Orchid Classics, becoming the first ever to sing and accompany herself in Schubert’s masterpiece “Winterreise” on recording. Fenlon has self-accompanied herself at prestigious festivals and venues such as Fundación Juan March, the Oxford Lieder Festival, Festival de Lanaudière, Martha Argerich Festival Hamburg, Ottawa Chamberfest, National {…}

Oct 24, 2024

Q & A: Ekaterina Bakanova on ‘Manon’ and Her Favorite Roles to Perform

(Photo credit: Enrico De Luigi) Soprano Ekaterina Bakanova is a Russian born opera and oratorio singer. Italian by adoption, she famously made her Royal Opera House debut in “La Traviata,” with just a few hours notice, after Sonya Yoncheva became ill in 2015. She has since performed in many of the renowned opera houses in the world. She is the {…}

Oct 23, 2024

Q & A: Soprano Adriana Kučerová on Her Role as the Vixen and the Political Problems Facing Opera in Slovakia

(Photo: Lukáš Kimlička) Having recently reviewed a marvelous production of “The Cunning Little Vixen” by the Slovak National Theatre Opera in Bratislava, OperaWire decided to take the opportunity to interview the vixen, played by soprano Adriana Kučerová. One of the stars of the Slovak National Theatre Opera, Kučerová has an established international reputation and has performed widely in leading opera {…}

Oct 16, 2024

A New Direction – Tenor Juan Diego Flórez on His New Record Label & Working With Sinfonía por el Perú

(Credit: © Gregor Hohenberg) September 20 marked a special day for tenor Juan Diego Flórez. For decades, the famed bel canto specialist has been almost exclusively releasing albums on Decca Classics, becoming one of the major operatic faces for the label throughout his career. He also worked with Sony Classical for a short period. But the tenor, who in recent {…}

Oct 10, 2024

Q & A: Lise Lindstrom discusses Wagner, Strauss, Puccini, & Life

(Credit: Rosie Hardy) Lise Lindstrom recently took time to converse with Benjamin Torbert for OperaWire. Lindstrom sings all three Brünnhildes in “Die Walküre,” “Siegfried,” and “Götterdämmerung” in the Dallas Symphony Orchestra’s very lightly staged concert presentation of Wagner’s “Der Ring Des Nibelungen,” on 13-20 October 2024. She already appeared with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra for two performances of “Walküre” in {…}

Oct 2, 2024

Q & A: Mezzo-Soprano Emma Alessi Innocenti Talks About The Teatro Sperimentale & Her Role In ‘Procedura Penale’

(Photo credit: Alessio Chao) The 25-year-old Italian mezzo-soprano Emma Alessi Innocenti is still at the stage in her career in which she is attempting to establish herself as a known singer within the industry. Of course, at such a young age, she has had relatively few opportunities to perform in fully staged operas. But by sheer chance, OperaWire has reviewed {…}

Sep 30, 2024

Q & A: Soprano Laura Zecchini on the Cesti Competition, Her CD Debut & Her Role as Galla Placidia

(Photo: Ilenia Brunelli) This summer’s Ravenna Festival saw the premiere of Danilo Comitini and Francesca Masi’s opera “Dilexi”, based on the life of the Roman Empress Galla Placidia. A success in its own right, the opera also showcased the talents of the young soprano Laura Zecchini, who is still completing her master’s degree at the Cesena Conservatory. Notwithstanding her limited {…}

Sep 26, 2024

In Less Than Five Minutes, Get To Know Soprano Adriana Kučerová

(photo: Lukáš Kimlička) Soprano Adriana Kučerová is a star of the Opera at the Slovak National Theatre. Having just seen her perform the role of the Vixen in Janacek’s masterpiece in Bratislava, OperaWire thought it would be a good opportunity to find out a little more about her. OperaWire: What was the first opera you saw? Adriana Kučerová: “La Traviata.” {…}

Sep 21, 2024

Q & A: Fabio Luisi on Presenting the Ring Cycle with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra

Fabio Luisi is one of the world’s greatest conductors who has performed many great symphonic works and operatic repertoire. His work has been recognized through many awards including Italy’s Cavaliere della Repubblica Italiana and Commendatore della Stella d’Italia, and Genoa’s Grifo d’Oro, the highest honor given by the city of Genoa. He has served as music director at the Zurich {…}

Sep 18, 2024

Q & A: Alma Deutscher On Mozart & Making Classical Music Imaginative

(Photo Credit: Benjamin Ealovega) According to renowned conductor Zubin Mehta, Alma Deutscher is “One of the greatest musical talents today.” According to others, she is comparable to Mozart, a former child prodigy, British composer, pianist, violinist and conductor, who started playing music at the age of two and who could read music before she could read words. Her music has {…}

Sep 10, 2024

Q & A: Molly Noori Discusses Her Non-Profit ‘The Chronicled Voice’ & Experiences With Chronic Illnesses

(Photo credit: Anastasia Sistevaris) Unable to perform this past year due to a chronic illness that directly affects her vocal mechanism, mezzo-soprano Molly Noori has turned towards advocating for other singers in a similar position. Through her new non-profit, The Chronicled Voice, Molly has created a safe space for opera singers to talk openly about their frustrations, fears, and ideas {…}

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